A practice test focused on telling the three states of matter apart — their properties, their particles, and how they behave.
📝 12 Questions⏱ ~15 mins✨ Good luck, Emily!
SOLID
Particles packed tight, vibrate in place
LIQUID
Particles close together, slide past each other
GAS
Particles far apart, move fast everywhere
How this practice test works
Answer every question. If you don't know, take your best guess.
Click Check My Answers at the bottom when you're done.
Wrong answers turn red — and you'll see the correct answer below.
For short-answer questions, compare your answer to the model answer.
1
Which property is true for both solids and liquids, but NOT for gases?Multiple Choice
2
Which is the BEST description of a gas?Multiple Choice
3
Look at the picture below. What state of matter is shown?Photo Comprehension
A glass beaker is half-full. The substance inside takes the shape of the bottom half of the beaker. It has a flat, level surface on top.
4
A balloon is blown up and tied closed. What state of matter is inside the balloon, and why?Photo Comprehension
The balloon takes the round shape of the rubber. It feels light. If you let go, the gas inside would spread everywhere.
5
Look at the three pictures below. Write solid, liquid, or gas under each one.Photo Comprehension
A. an ice cube
B. water in a cup
C. steam from a kettle
Picture A is a .
Picture B is a .
Picture C is a .
6
Fill in the blanks about shape and volume.Cloze
A solid has a shape and a volume.
A liquid has a shape and a volume.
A gas has a shape and a volume.
7
Fill in the blanks about how particles behave in each state.Cloze
In a solid, the particles are packed very together and only in place.
In a liquid, the particles are still close together but can past each other.
In a gas, the particles are very far and move very in all directions.
8
Fill in the blanks.Cloze
You can pour a from one cup into another, and it will take the new shape of the cup.
You cannot pour a like a brick — it keeps its own shape.
A will always spread out to fill the whole container it is in.
9
Explain the difference between a solid and a liquid. Talk about their shape, their volume, and how their particles behave.Short Answer
10
Emily pours 200 ml of water from a bottle into a tall glass, then into a round bowl. The water looks different in each container, but the amount stays the same. What does this tell us about water?Short Answer
11
Air fills the whole classroom. You cannot see it or hold its shape in your hand. Which state of matter is air, and how do you know? Give two reasons.Photo Comprehension
12
Sand can be poured from one cup to another, just like water. Does that mean sand is a liquid? Explain your answer.Short Answer